Crowd favourite Simonsig romped home in the 2.05 at Cheltenham to put Nicky Henderson clear as the Festival's most successful trainer ever

Top trainer: Nicky Henderson with the horse that put him on top - Simonsig (Photo: Getty)

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Popular grey Simonsig stormed to victory in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle, presenting trainer Nicky Henderson with a landmark 41st win at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Seven Barrows handler has now surpassed the record of Fulke Walwyn, but there was arguably a touch of good fortune about the 2-1 favourite's victory as his task was eased a little as Cotton Mill, who was sitting in second, refused at the second-last obstacle.

Outsider Fiulin blazed into an early lead, but Denis O'Regan was keen not to let him get too far in front and began to reel him in aboard Cotton Mill.

Geraghty all the while sat quietly aboard the winner, hunting round before starting to take a more prominent position four flights from home.

Cotton Mill was still in front at that point, as Simonsig cruised up on his outside, but John Ferguson's horse was not finished with yet.

However, he stuttered into the penultimate obstacle, unshipping O'Regan and leaving Simonsig with the race at his mercy.

Simonsig duly cruised to a seven-length victory over Felix Yonger, with Monksland another 11 lengths away in third.

Henderson said: "It's lovely (to get the record), but you feel a bit overawed as you're talking about the legendary Fulke Walwyn.

"We have been very lucky over the years and I have some lovely horses like this one.

"It's all about teams and people and I'm just grateful to all of them."

Of Simonsig, Henderson added: "He's got so much natural talent, you could easily run him over two miles.

"Barry was just keen to run here as he thought it might give him more chance to get his jumping together.

"He was still a bit untidy, but he'll learn and he's going to go and jump fences.

"I think the bigger the obstacle, the better he'll jump.

"I don't know if he'd want three miles as this (horse) is very quick.

"I see no point in going any further than you have to and he could easily come back to two miles."

Silver streak: Simonsig produced one of the runs of the Festival so far to win the 2.05 (Photo: Getty)

Winning owner Ronnie Bartlett added: "We were always nervous about giving him so much hype and we didn't know if it was going to work or not, but the horse is fantastic."

Willie Mullins was delighted with the effort of Felix Yonger.

He said: "He ran well. He's improved with every run so we are looking forward to him next season.

"Hopefully we will find him something at Punchestown then go novice chasing and if he keeps improving, I'll be delighted."

Monksland's trainer, Noel Meade, added: "He jumped great, but he was a bit flat-footed going down the hill.

"I hoped he might have quickened a bit better than that, so I'm a bit disappointed.

"He'll go chasing next season, but he might go to Punchestown next."

After having unshipped O'Regan, Cotton Mill continued with the pack, only to fall at the final hurdle.

Ferguson reported the five-year-old to have returned unscathed and O'Regan added: "He travelled well enough, but as I approached the second-last he veered towards the left, ducked back out, and then ducked back in.